After hundreds of attempts, Darian was finally able to cross the entrance and stay inside for over a minute. His muscles, bones, and ridians were being nourished and bathed by the power of chaos, steadily pushing the level of the Celestial Armor of Chaos higher and higher.
After reaching the fifth floor, Darian was thrown back again, crashing violently into the ground.
When he got up and healed himself, he turned and saw all thirty thousand standing firm together, enduring it. Hours had already passed, and everyone’s bodies were covered in cracks, close to their limit. Even so, they stayed strong, united, and kept the bloodline barrier stable.
The weakest ones sotis dropped to their knees, unable to bear the weight. But a prince or princess would always move quickly to help them up, taking part of the burden for them.
This final stage was a test of cooperation — and also a test of their feelings. They had to be able to work together perfectly, trust each other, and support one another at any mont.
Darian suddenly understood why, despite the fierce competition among the princes and princesses, there was no resentnt between them. It was because none of them ever used underhanded tricks to get ahead of the others.
Painita had really done a great job raising and watching over them, making sure they didn’t turn into enemies. She was strict with everyone, but she truly wanted them to be a family.
Darian took a deep breath and went back to training, throwing himself forward and crossing the entrance again.
After a few more hundred tries, he felt his soul vibrate, becoming perfectly attuned to the power of the Celestial Armor of Chaos.
That was the sixth level! All those earlier stages were ant to adapt the armor’s power to the body, making it more solid and powerful. It was like putting on armor piece by piece and molding it to fit perfectly.
Darian returned to the tenth floor. But this ti, he didn’t crash into the ground — he just staggered a little before stabilizing himself.
He took a deep breath, feeling his soul, and sensed Niara there, in deep ditation.
It was the twentieth hour of the sixth day, and Niara was already starting to show signs that she’d soon return to reality. Darian, however, was sure he could now pass this test. Unfortunately, it still wouldn’t be enough to complete all seven levels.
’The last level is called "ntal Void"... that’s pretty vague. Mr. Lian only described it as a ntal state that returns to the origin. Once you reach that state, the power of chaos reacts automatically and connects to the ntal sea...’
Darian thought seriously about it. From this point on, it wasn’t about physical evolution anymore, but about a concept. So, this Trial wouldn’t be that useful for him anymore.
He turned around and saw everyone staring at him with shining eyes. Tetoya had a proud look on her face, and her chest puffed up.
He sighed, "You’re looking pretty relaxed, huh? Want to try passing my test too?"
"Humph... not necessary. I don’t want to steal your spotlight. This test was made for you, after all." Tetoya replied with a faint smile.
Darian nodded, satisfied with her and everyone’s progress. Now they were enduring everything perfectly. Before, their bodies had reached the limits of their current power. But now, their bloodline control and strength had both reached their peak.
The difference between all thirty thousand of them now and before this Trial was like heaven and earth. If the princes and princesses were to fight those banquet opponents again, they’d probably win in less than fifty moves.
Darian turned and stepped through the portal once more.
But this ti, when the imnse pressure hit him, he snorted and focused, staying completely grounded in place for more than ten minutes.
He could’ve stayed there forever — even moved around if he wanted — but he didn’t need to.
Suddenly, everything stopped, and the passage behind him vanished.
Everyone could see Darian, so they ran toward him, excited and overjoyed.
But... when they reached him... their bodies and souls froze.
A pair of gigantic eyes opened in the sky. They were like two red beacons, exuding an intense Yin energy, along with a draconic pressure that forced everyone to their knees instantly. It was absolute suppression.
"WE GREET THE PRIMORDIAL DRAGON!"
They all roared, bowing their heads — terrified, yet honored to witness such a being.
Darian looked up and saw only the eyes. There was no sign of a body. It was just like the Divine Dragon he had encountered before — rely a will left behind.
"Rise." A dry but definitely feminine voice echoed.
Darian snorted. The title of that will was ’Yin Chaos Dragon’, and there was only one with that na. She was the one who had fought alongside the current Heaven’s Will in the final battle. The strongest among all Primordial Dragons.
The eyes locked onto Darian.
"Very well, missionary. You passed. My Trial is divided into four stages. The first one covers the first ten floors. Once you clear them, everyone receives a reward and can leave. If you decide to go further, for each of the next three challenges you complete, you’ll earn another reward — four in total. But..."
"This Trial of mine was created only for those with dragon blood, and the rewards were designed solely to benefit them. There’s nothing here that a Missionary — a pure human — could really make use of... I could even give you Primordial Dragon blood, but your body is already incredible, and the benefits would be limited. All your current techniques and energies would go through massive changes if you accepted that. It would take you a long ti to readjust; aning, with your growth potential as a Missionary, I don’t think it’d be that worth it."
Darian exhaled heavily, already expecting that answer. Indeed, he had no intention of turning half-dragon.
The eyes shifted toward the thirty thousand kneeling figures.
"You all deserve a reward for your effort and progress. Never before, in this Trial, has there been such an astonishing improvent in a single person — let alone thirty thousand."
At that mont, a bright green light fell from the skies onto all of them. Within seconds, they absorbed it, and their bodies began to pulse.
"It’s the Primordial Dragon’s Blessing!!"
Tetoya roared, unable to hold back. Everyone was ecstatic — they had received the sa thing the Matriarch once did!
Before, their draconic bloodline almost completely suppressed their beast bloodline. They could still use their beast side, but it was far weaker than it should’ve been — as if the dragon part of them refused to let a re beast coexist without being subdued.
But with the Primordial Dragon’s Blessing, they gained the power to control it better. Their beast bloodline would now synchronize perfectly, without any kind of weakening. Combined with the dragon power that had also beco easier to use, their strength — which had already increased dozens of tis during this Trial — would now multiply several dozen tis again.
Seeing that, Darian rembered sothing and asked:
"You said the rewards are all things people with dragon blood can use. By any chance, do you have high-level dragon cores?"
That was one of Darian’s main goals in going to the planet Vadise. The people there brought them from other universes, and though he’d never heard of anyone receiving them from this Trial, he knew how insanely valuable they were for beasts with dragon blood.
"Hmm... dragon cores can’t be absorbed by pure humans like you. But yes, I do have so." The voice replied casually. "If you want, you’ve earned one from the purest dragon bloodline."
"You have three identical ones?" Darian asked quickly.
"Three? Yes, I have three Azure Dragon cores. But you’ve only earned enough reward points for one."
Darian smiled, even more satisfied. This was a test beyond the maximum limit; if, after clearing the first part, he only had enough for one of those cores, that ant they were unbelievably powerful.
"Besides this reward, there are three more for completing the next challenges, right? I want three of those cores. I’ll have use for them." Darian said, clenching his fists.
"Very well, if that’s what you want."
The voice spoke calmly, and then the space in front of Darian opened up.
A cluster of runes appeared before him, sealing sothing terrifying within. Darian felt the overwhelming power inside, swallowed hard, and stored it in his inventory.
Before, he would’ve happily accepted any dragon core that planet had. But now, Tir, Eleri, and Awel would be reborn with imasurable potential to grow. That was excellent, since he had no idea how strong he would need to beco, and the three could follow him all the way.
Darian took a deep breath, feeling his blood boil — he had never felt so driven before. "Take to the next challenges. I’ll finish all this quickly."
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